The present invention relates to a shoe tree and, more particularly, is directed to such a tree incorporating a shoe horn. In its more specific aspects, the invention is concerned with a combined shoe tree and horn wherein the horn serves as a lever to facilitate placement and removal of the tree
Shoe trees are very well known in the prior art. The more popular current trees incorporate heel and toe engaging portions with some type of compression strut therebetween. The strut telescopes to facilitate insertion and removal of the tree. It also serves to impart compressive force to the interior of a shoe within which the tree is received. In the more sophisticated shoe trees, the forward toe-engaging portion of the tree is expandible in response to the compressive force applied thereto by the strut.
Certain prior art shoe trees have also employed heel and toe-engaging portions which may serve as a shoe horn when the tree is removed from a shoe. Such a device may be seen in Canadian Pat. No. 637,524, issued Mar. 6, 1962. In that device, however, the horn construction did not serve as a lever to facilitate placement and removal of the tree.